Exploring Volunteering

“Members of the Unidad de Protección de
Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanos (UPDDH) and the Movimiento
Nacional de los Derechos Humanos (MNDH) have recently been intimidated
and have received death threats in what appears to be an effort to
dissuade them from their work. Both organisations are involved in the
defence of human rights and protection of human rights defenders.
Amnesty International is concerned for their safety.

On 15 May at approximately 8:45am, a telephone call was received by a
member of the MNDH. A male voice said “si siguen buscando los vamos a
matar” “if you continue looking we are going to kill you”. Three days
earlier on 12 May the same caller had said “no se metan en mierda”
“don’t get involved in shit”.

On 11 May, a female caller had asked for specific information regarding
who worked in the offices which MNDH and UPPDH share, their areas of
work, as well as what investigations and research they are currently
conducting. The caller was repeatedly asked her name and who she worked
for but refused to give any information. While no direct threat was
made, the tone and nature of the call was considered threatening by the
staff at MNDH and UPDDH.

The UPDDH is currently providing support to a series of cases involving
both individual human rights defenders and human rights organisations
in the capital and the regions of Petén, Zacapa, Escuintla and Jutiapa.
It is also involved in documenting cases of attacks against human
rights defenders and lobbying the Government of Guatemala to
investigate and bring to justice those responsible.

The UPDDH and MNDH are also active in briefing international governments and
organisations on the human rights situation in Guatemala. The MNDH is
active in the Frente Contra la Mineria, Front Against Mining and in
implementing the recommendations of the UN Comisión de Esclarecimiento
Historico, Commission for Historical Clarification which investigated
abuses committed during the internal armed conflict.

The MNDH in recent months has been aiding the Procuradoría de los
Derechos Humanos, Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office, in surveying,
collating and organising thousands of pages of documents, uncovered in
2005, of the former National Police (replaced by the National Civilian
Police in 1997). The documents are believed to contain information
regarding numerous instances of human rights violations committed by
members of the National Police during the internal armed conflict
(1960-96), including disappearances, kidnappings and torture.”